A Magical Journey
by Inuyashahiei
Summary: Lily Evans' journey through her seven years at Hogwarts
1. Chapter 1

A Magical Journey

Chapter Summary: Lily rides the train to Hogwarts and meets the people who she'll be with for the next seven years. AU.

Chapter One: Train Ride

A young red haired girl, around eleven years old, looked around King's Cross Station with confused, nervous emerald eyes. She had a large and heavy trunk sitting on a trolley beside her, a cage sat on top of the trunk; a beautiful dappled grey owl sat, hooting dolefully, inside.

"I know you don't like it in there, Athena, but hang on until we get to Hogwarts." The red head said the caged bird. "If the school truly exists." She added to herself.

"James Harold Potter," A woman's voice said from a few feet away from Lily. "Give your sister her wand back."

Lily twirled around to see a stern looking middle aged woman glaring down at a boy with messy black hair and mischievous hazel eyes; he was holding a thin strip of wood in his right hand. He, James, was smirking at a girl, who looked like a female version of himself but she had blue eyes flecked with hazel.

"Give it back, James." She said when he ignored their mother's wishes.

"Come and get it yourself, Stella." James challenged.

"Oh I plan on it." Stella said getting into his face.

"Kids, knock it off!" Their mum snapped brushing a strand of dark brown hair out of her eyes. "The train leaves in fifteen minutes."

James threw the wand back to Stella, who caught it, throwing him a dirty look. "You first." She said nodding toward barrier between Platforms nine and ten.

"Fine, see you on the train." James marched toward the platforms. Lily watched in amazement as he disappeared.

'_How did he do that?_' Lily asked herself in wonder. '_Better ask._'

"Excuse me," Lily called to the woman and her daughter. "I'm new at Hogwarts and don't know how to get on the platform. I was wondering if you could tell me."

Stella smiled at her. "Just walk at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Make sure you don't stop. You can go before me."

Lily smiled. "Thanks."

"Oh, and it's better if you do it at a run if you are nervous."

Lily nodded and pushed her trolley around. She started to walk toward it. She started to walk faster, the wall looked very solid. She gasped when she passed through it and looked up at a scarlet steam engine, which was waiting on a platform full of people.

Lily turned around to see Stella appear from the wrought-iron archway that had _Platform Nine and Three-Quarters _on it.

"You thought you were going to crash, didn't you?" The dark haired eleven year old said.

Lily shrugged sheepishly.

"My name is Stella Potter, by the way."

"Lily Evans. It's nice to meet you Stella." Lily said sincerely. "Maybe we can sit on the train together."

"I'd like that, Lily." Stella said. Both girls put their trunks into an empty compartment along with Athena and Cocoa, a kneazle. Stella explained to Lily what Cocoa was, while petting the catlike creature's brown, tan, grey, and white flecked fur.

"She's beautiful." Lily cooed at Cocoa, who, deciding that she liked Lily, rubbed her small head and body against the red head's hand.

Stella looked over Lily's shoulder and scowled. "James!" She cried. "What are you doing?"

Cocoa hissed at James, her large ears pinned against her head. But the three eleven year olds ignored her.

"Nothing." He said shiftily hiding his wand and walking over to stand a foot away from them. "Who is this, Stella?"

"James meet Lily Evans. Lily meet my prat of a twin James."

Lily muttered a polite hello and James did the same thing.

"I'll see you later, Stella. It was nice meeting you." James said waving carelessly and slinked away just as Mrs. Potter appeared behind them

"Where is James, Stella?" She asked.

"He just left, Mum."

"Somehow I think I know where he went." Mrs. Potter groaned.

Stella and Lily looked where Mrs. Potter was looking and Stella moaned. James was talking happily to a boy with shoulder length black hair and blue eyes.

"I was hoping Black wouldn't find James until we were at the school." Stella said looking mildly annoyed.

"Why?" Lily asked.

"Because he and James together is a bad combination." At Lily's confused look Stella added, "Their pranksters, they'll do anything to have a good laugh."

"Even break rules." Mrs. Potter said darkly. She looked down and suddenly spotted Lily. "Who might you be, Dear?"

"Lily Evans." Lily said.

"It's nice to meet you Lily, I'm Kathleen Potter." Mrs. Potter shook Lily's hand. "Oh, it's time to get on the train, girls. Stella, tell that brother of yours that if I get any sort of letter from the school, his arse is mine."

"You bet I will Mum." Stella laughed and hugged her mother quickly before joining Lily on the train. They moved to a window to wave to Mrs. Potter.

The train started to move.

"Bye Mum!" Stella shouted out the window.

"Bye Mrs. Potter." Lily yelled.

The train started to gather speed and rounded a corner. Lily watched as Stella's mother disappeared from view.

"Come on Lily. Let's go to our compartment."

Lily nodded and followed her new friend. Cocoa jumped on Lily's shoulder, purring and looked rather pleased with herself.

"Where have you been, Cocoa?" Stella asked the kneazle.

Cocoa mewed.

Lily sat down and cuddled Cocoa, just as James came storming in.

He grabbed Cocoa by the scruff of her neck and dangled her in front of his face, glaring angrily at her. "You should be _put down_." James snarled lifting his wand to the pipsqueak.

"What did she do to you James?" Lily asked coming to the rescue of the animal that had successfully made her fall in love with it.

"It peed on my new Hogwarts robes!" He growled not taking his eyes off of her.

Cocoa hissed at James, swiping at his face with her sharp little claws, her tail; tufted at the end like a lions', swished back and forth in annoyance.

"Stupid beast." James muttered moving Cocoa away from his face. "I don't know why Mum let you have it."

"She is not a beast, James!" Stella said.

"It is!"

"She, James!" Stella snapped. "Maybe if you were nicer to her, Cocoa would be nice and would stop peeing on your robes. Isn't that right, Cocoa?"

Cocoa mewed and purred at Stella.

"Now, let her go."

James shrugged and dropped Cocoa on Lily's lap and walked out of the compartment.

Athena hooted at Lily from above her head, her piercing yellow eyes glaring at her new mistress.

"Sorry, girl, you have to wait to be let out." She said.

Athena clicked her beak and ruffled her feathers, looking displeased.

"No, Athena."

Lily stroked Cocoa's soft fur, ignoring Athena's hooting and beak clicking. "Stella, what's the Wizarding world like?"

"It can be fun. I think that the Muggle world is better though."

"Muggle?"

"Non magic folk."

"Oh, but you still haven't answered my question."

"Right. The Wizarding world not only has wizards and witches but creatures like hags, trolls, goblins, and a whole bunch of other magical beings. There's this village near the school, called Hogmeade, it's the only magical village in all of England."

"That's amazing," Lily breathed.

"I know. But the Wizarding world is in trouble."

"What do you mean, Stella?"

"I heard from my Father that a dark wizard by the name of Voldemort is getting powerful and there is no one who can stand up to him and live."

"No one?"

"Nope, everyone who tried was killed."

Lily sat there in her seat for a bit processing this information.

"James!" Stella suddenly cried out. She jumped out of her seat and glared at James and Sirius.

"What, Stella?" James asked both he and his friend were sniggering at Lily.

Lily frowned in confusion. "What did you do, Potter?" She asked coolly.

"Nothing, nothing at all." He grinned at her.

"Somehow I don't believe you. Now what did you do?"

"Come on Sirius. Let's go find Remus and Peter."

Both boys' left and Stella swore loudly after the compartment door slid closed. "Those stupid sodding gits!" She snarled. "Wait until I tell Mum, then they'll be sorry."

"Stella, what did they do?" Lily asked confusion written all over her face.

"They charmed your hair orange with brown spots."

Lily's cheeks went pink. "They what?" She growled in a low dangerous voice. Cocoa, who had fallen asleep on Lily's lap, woke up and jumped away from her human's new friend.

"They…er…charmed your hair, Lily." Stella said scooting away from the enraged girl.

"Please charm it back to red."

Stella took out her wand and waved it at Lily, muttering something.

Lily looked over her shoulder and saw, much to her relief, her hair was red again, soft and curly. "I'm going to kill your twin brother." She said.

"Go ahead. He deserves it."

Lily stood and went marching out of their compartment, a determined look on her young features.

Lily made her way toward the middle of the train and saw who she was hunting for. James was sitting next to Sirius, both were laughing. On the other side were a sickly looking boy with brown hair and a pudgy, short boy with rat-like facial features. She scowled and slammed the door open. All four boys jumped.

"Potter, how dare you charm my hair such revolting colors!" She seethed.

"Oh, I didn't do a thing." James flashed her a charming smile. "It was mostly Sirius that did it."

"Somehow, I don't believe you. Don't do that again."

James mockingly saluted her and smirked.

Lily glared and turned to leave only to run into someone's chest and fell to the floor.

She yelped when she hit the hard floor and glanced at who she bumped into. It was a boy, no older than herself, with shoulder length greasy black hair and cold dark eyes.

"How dare you bump into me you mudblood." He sneered down at her.

"Snape!" James snarled his wand out and was pointing it toward the other boy. "Apologize to Lily right now!"

Snape glanced coolly up at James. "Or what Potter?"

James glared at Snape and took a step closer. "Call her that again and I'll curse you." He breathed threateningly.

Snape sneered at James and Lily and stormed away, his black Hogwarts robes billowing behind him.

"Git." James muttered then looked down at Lily. "What are you doing still on the floor?" He grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet.

"Thanks." Lily said, "I think I'm gonna go find Stella. Bye." She turned on her heel and walked calmly down the corridor.

She entered her and Stella's compartment, surprised when she saw two other girls. The girl sitting next to Stella had thick curly brown hair, an ugly pair of black rimmed glasses hiding her honey colored eyes and the other girl had silky looking long black hair and blue eyes.

"Lily," Stella started, "Hope you don't mind they sit with us, there was no where else they could go."

"I don't mind at all." Lily replied taking the last seat open, next to the girl with black hair. She smiled when Cocoa climbed into her lap and curled up, purring contentedly. "Hello. I'm Lily Evans." She said to the other two girls.

"I'm Marie Winters." The girl with the ugly glasses said with a smile. She had a very faint Swedish accent. "It's nice to meet you."

"And I'm Rhya Zabini." The dark haired girl said, "I can't wait until we get to Hogwarts. My older brother Charles says we have to wrestle a troll to find out what house we go in."

Lily and Marie stared at her in horror.

"We have to wrestle a troll?" Marie gaped in shock.

"Yes, we do." Rhya said.

"That's not true," Stella argued. "I know for a fact that we don't wrestle a troll. I think it's a rule not to tell incoming first years."

Rhya scowled. "I'm gonna kill my brother."

"I get to kill him first." Stella said. "He put itching powder in my bed last time I slept over."

"You do not." Rhya said.

"Do too."

"Do not!"

"Did too!"

Lily and Marie looked at each other, wide eyed, as the other two stood face to face screaming at the other.

"DID NOT!" Rhya screamed stomping her foot.

"DID TOO!"

Lily sent Marie an alarmed look and hurriedly stood from her seat and put a hand on Rhya's shoulder. Marie did the same thing to Stella.

"Both of you will sit down and shut up for the rest of the train ride," Lily ordered sternly. "Understand?"

Rhya and Stella looked at the red headed eleven year old, perplexed, before obeying and sitting, refusing to look at anyone.

They put their black Hogwarts robes on in silence and watched the scenery go by for an half an hour before the train started slowing down, announcing they were there. The four girls got up in silence and exited the compartment, walking into the crowded corridor.

Lily, holding Cocoa, was the first out of the train quickly followed by Stella, Marie, and Rhya.

"Firs' years this way! Firs' years!" A large man with tangled black hair and a black beard. "Firs' years!"

Lily, Marie, Rhya, and Stella gathered around the man and watched as other first years gathered around and the older students greeted the large man in passing.

"Everyone here? Good, my name is Rubeus Hagrid but just call me Hagrid." The large man, Hagrid boomed. "You lot follow me to the boats."

The group of first years followed Hagrid down a steep, muddy path to a large black lake. There were a small fleet of boats waiting for them.

"No more that four to a boat!" Hagrid told them getting into one of the small boats himself.

The four girls scrambled into one of the boats. James and his friends took the boat next to theirs.

"Everyone in a boat? We're off!"

The boats began to move on their own. Lily looked into the black water and saw the ripples made by the sailing boats. When they were halfway across the lake the boat they were in suddenly tipped over sending the four unsuspecting girls into the cold water. Lily shrieked in surprise when she hit the water.

"JAMES POTTER!" The four girls screamed angrily as one. "I'M GONNA KILL YOU!"

James heard their threat but was laughing too hard to care at the moment, Sirius and Peter were laughing with him and Remus only rolled his eyes.

Lily and Rhya shrieked loudly when they felt something slimy, like a tentacle, brush against their legs.

"It's only the giant squid! Don't panic girls! He won't hurt you!" Hagrid yelled.

A large pink tentacle came out of the water and turned the four eleven year olds' capsized boat over and put the terrified and wet girls in it. Lily clutched Stella's arm, looking faint.

Gasps from the surrounding children made Lily and her friends look. Lily gasped loudly at the tall castle before her.

"It's beautiful." Marie murmured awestruck. She suddenly shivered. "It's so cold!"

"Of coarse it's cold, Marie. We were just dumped into the lake." Stella snapped. "I'm going to kill my twin and his stupid friends!"

The boats docked and the students clambered out of them. Stella stomped over to where her twin and his friends were standing; Lily, Marie, and Rhya were following her. Stella hit James over the head with her hand.

"I'm owling mum to tell her what you did."

James looked at Stella blankly, "What for, I didn't do anything." He smiled innocently.

Stella hit James again. "Don't give me that innocent look!" She snarled viciously. "It may bend our younger sister to your will but not me!"

"Stella, stop it." Lily and Marie grabbed an arm and marched Stella away from James, Rhya leading the group. Hagrid led the large group of first years up a passageway in the rocks, coming out onto smooth damp grass right in the shadow of the huge castle. They walked up a small flight of stone steps and crowded around the large oak front door.

Hagrid raised one huge fist and banged on the door three times.


	2. Chapter 2

A Magical Journey

Chapter Summary: Lily and her friends get sorted

Chapter Two: The Sorting

The door swung open. A tall, black haired witch in violet robes stood there.

"Thank you Hagrid, I'll take them from here." She said. She pulled the door a little wider and group walked in, all murmuring in amazement. The entrance hall was huge, the stone walls lit with torches, the ceiling was too high to see, and a marble staircase opposite them led to the upper floors.

They followed the older witch across the stone flagged floor. She stopped in front of a pair of oak doors and they gathered around the stern looking woman.

"Welcome to Hogwarts." She said. "I am Professor McGonagall. The start-of-term feast will begin shortly before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of you house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room."

Lily listened carefully as Professor McGonagall talked about the four Houses and house points.

"Now, form a line and follow me." 

The double doors opened and Lily gasped. The Great Hall was lit by thousands of candles, floating over four long tables, where the older students were sitting. The tables were laid with glittering gold plates, goblets, and silverware. At the top of the hall was where the teachers were sitting. Professor McGonagall led them up to the top table where they stopped in a line, facing the other students, with the teachers behind them.

Lily noticed a four legged stool sitting in front of the first years; a patched and filthy looking wizarding hat sat on top of it. It got quiet when the hat's brim opened like a mouth and it broke into song;

_"It's been a thousand years since I was made,_

_With some simple cloth and thread,_

_But, oh don't let that fool you,_

_For I can see into your head._

_So put your faith in me,_

_To sort you to the right place,_

_For I know just where you should be,_

_To fill the empty space._

_You may be in good Gryffindor,_

_Where dwell the brave of heart._

_Their nobleness and chivalry,_

_Set Gryffindors apart._

_Or perhaps you're in dear Ravenclaw,_

_Whose smarts are surpassed by none,_

_If studying is your fancy,_

_You won't be the only one._

_If you're not there, well have no fear,_

_For Hufflepuff will hold you dear,_

_There lie the greatest friends of all,_

_That you'll find walking down this hall,_

_Or maybe Slytherin shall be your home,_

_Where cunning and ambition freely roam,_

_So come and let me see your mind,_

_So your rightful place I may find."_ (1)

The Great Hall broke into loud applause. Lily blinked and turned to look at her friends. Stella and Rhya watched the hat, their faces impassive, and Marie was looking just as confused as Lily was.

"When I call your name," Professor McGonagall said startling Lily out of her thoughts. The older woman stood next to the Sorting Hat, a scroll held tightly in her hand, "Please put the Sorting Hat on your head."

"Allen, Rebecca."

A petite girl with frizzy blonde hair stepped out of line and walked nervously to the hat, placing the hat on her head. It slipped over her eyes. A moment later the hat shouted,

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Rebecca took off the hat and made her way to the table that was cheering happily.

"Black, Sirius."

"I hope Black isn't in our House." Stella whispered. "At least without James."

"Why?" Lily whispered back.

"Those two are pranksters. They'd doom us all."

Lily raised her eyebrows at the dark haired girl but didn't say anything else.

"GRYFFINDOR!" The hat shouted a few minutes later.

Lily saw Sirius turn around and smirked cockily at, she assumed, James and walked calmly over to the table in the corner. The C and D names were called. Lily felt butterflies in her stomach as her name came closer to being called.

"Evans, Lily."

Lily sent her friends a nervous glance and stepped forward. Lily sat on the stool and put the hat on her head. It slipped over her eyes.

"Well, what do we have here?" A small voice said in Lily's head making her jump. "No need to be scared, Lily Evans, I am the Sorting Hat." Lily relaxed slightly. "Where to put you." It continued.

_Anywhere but Slytherin._ Lily thought.

The hat chuckled. "Oh no, I wouldn't dare put you there! You're too pure for that House. Hm. You have a strong mind and a great loyalty to your friends. Brave too."

_Will you please put me somewhere_? Lily thought impatiently.

"Now, now. No need to get impatient with me! I think I'll put you in…"

"GRYFFINDOR!" The hat shouted so the whole hall could here it.

Lily pulled off the hat and walked over to the cheering Gryffindor table. As soon as she sat down, across from Sirius and next to an unknown second year, older students swarmed around her, congratulating her in getting into Gryffindor.

Lily smiled and turned back to the Sorting, where a mean looking girl was sorted into Slytherin.

"Fairchild, Alexander."

A short brown haired boy got on the stool. Five minutes later the hat made him a Ravenclaw. Alexander ripped off the hat and ran to his new House. Lily saw some of the older boys greeting him with pats on the back and hand shakes.

"Fairchild, Alexandria."

A female version of Alexander stepped out of the slowly shrinking ranks of first years. She got on the stool and put the hat on her head. A minute later the hat shouted,

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Alexandria pulled the hat off her curly brown head, placed it back on the stool and made her way to Gryffindor table. Lily cheered along with the rest of the table. Her twin brother was clapping politely from Gryffindor.

"Hello," Lily said smiling at the other girl. "I'm Lily."

"Hi Lily." Alexandria smiled back at the red haired girl. "Please call me Alex. My Mama had to name me Alexandria while my Papa named my twin Alexander." Alli shook her head.

"That's alright, Alex, my mum had to name me and my older sister after flowers." Lily said not paying attention to the sorting. "You're Italian, right?"

"Yes I am. I was born in Venice, Italy with Xander and Mama moved us to Wales nine and an half years after me, Xander and our younger sister, Claire, were born."

Lily hadn't noticed James, Peter, and Remus sitting next Sirius nor did she see Stella next to Alex. Marie was behind her, smirking, and poked her in her ticklish sides. Lily shrieked and jumped slightly.

"Marie!" Lily wrapped her arms protectively around her sides. "Don't do that!" She scolded the giggling girl.

Alex got up and moved to a different, less crowded spot. Marie took the vacated seat and put her head down laughing silently.

"Marie, shut up!" Stella said suddenly hazel eyes watching the sorting. "Rhya's next!"

Lily and Marie lifted their eyes up toward the top table where, low and behold, Rhya was sitting on the stool, the old Sorting Hat covering her eyes. After a few short moments the hat called out,

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Lily, Stella, and Marie jumped to their feet and screamed with joy, happy to be reunited with their friend.

"Yes, we're all in Gryffindor!" Lily embraced the slim eleven year old.

"Great," Lily heard James say sarcastically. "Now I have to spend seven more years with my twin and her merry band of witches."

Lily, Rhya, and Marie all glared at the messy haired boy sitting in front of them. Stella crossed her arms but didn't say anything. The four girls turned when a sudden hush fell over the Hall. Headmaster Dumbledore stood from his chair, his blue eyes twinkling.

"Welcome all new and returning students! All I have to say is eat, drink and be merry!" Dumbledore sat back in his seat and all the golden plates and platters filled with delicious smelling food.

Lily had never seen so much food that she liked to eat on one table; roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausage, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup and, oddly enough, Peppermint Humbugs. She took a little of everything and poured herself a glass of iced Pumpkin Juice.

Lily took a bite of her lamb chop, shivering from the wetness from her clothes.

Marie shivered next to her. "I'm freezing still." She complained.

"We're cold too, Marie, it's not just you." Rhya said taking a spoonful of peas into her mouth.

"Yeah, I know. I'll be happier when I get into my warm pajamas."

The other three girls agreed.

The last of the crumbs disappeared from every plate, dessert appeared. Lily grabbed herself a slice of apple pie and a large scoop of French Vanilla ice cream.

"Gross, Sirius you need to learn to eat with your mouth closed." Remus said in a disgusted voice.

Lily looked up from her pie and saw Remus brushing chewed up brownie off his robes.

"'Orry mafe." Sirius said with his mouth full of sweets.

Lily frowned looking revolted. "Stop talking with your mouth full. It's disgusting!" Lily snapped.

Sirius stuck out his tongue at her; it was covered in partially chewed food. Lily, Rhya, Marie, Stella and several twelve and thirteen year old girls, who were sitting close enough to see what Sirius was doing, wrinkled their noses and made noises of disgust.

"Black, you pig!" Stella cried out.

Dumbledore stood once more and raised his arms, the Hall falling quite. "I have a few start of term notices before you all go to bed. The Forbidden Forest is, what it's name suggests, forbidden to all students as is the village of Hogsmeade to all below Third year. Also, we have planted the Whomping Willow out on the grounds this year, it does not like anyone touching it so don't become too curious. Now, bed time!"

"First year Gryffindors!" A plump red haired girl called a silver badge with a 'P' on it called over all the noise. "Over here!"

The ten first years gathered in front of the plump girl, who had a friendly smile on her face. "I'm Molly Prewett and I'll be showing you the way up to the Dormitory. Please follow me and try not to fall behind."

Molly led the tired group away from the chattering crowds, out of the Great Hall and up the Marble Staircase.

Lily's legs were beginning to feel like lead. She was too sleepy to notice the portraits moving and talking. Twice Molly led them through doorways hidden behind sliding panels and hanging tapestries. They climbed more staircases, yawning and dragging their feet. At the end of the corridor was a portrait of a fat woman wearing a silky pink dress.

"Password?" She asked.

"Godric Gryffindor." Molly said. The portrait swung open to reveal a round hole in the wall. Everyone scrambled through, Peter needed a leg up, and found themselves in the Gryffindor Common Room, a round room filled with several squishy armchairs and a couch located in front of a roaring fire.

Molly directed the girls through one door to their dormitory and the boys through another. At the top of a spiral staircase - they were obviously in one of the towers - they found their beds at last: five four-posters hung with deep-red velvet curtains.

Their trunks had already been brought up. Too tired to talk much, they pulled on their pajamas and fell into bed.

Lily sighed in contented sleepiness. "Night everyone." She said.

"Night," Four sleepy voices echoed.

Lily smiled and let sleep take over, it had been a very good day.

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AN (1): The Sorting Hat's song that I used isn't mine, someone else wrote it and I borrowed it.

AN (2): Next chapter should be anytime now.


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